I NOTED with great interest the remarks of the director general of Age Concern, Gordon Lishman, concerning the tremendous potential political power of pensioners in a recent speech to the Blackpool branch of Age Concern.

It has become increasingly evident in recent months that pensioners could hold the balance of power in future elections at local as well as at national level.

Their growing numbers, growing political awareness, growing determination to do something about their lot and growing disillusionment with all political parties bodes ill for politicians who attempt to ignore them.

And it isn't just the elderly poor who are expressing their disaffection -- witness the rough treatment given to Tony Blair by the normally staid members of the Women's Institute earlier this year.

However, I doubt Age Concern is the proper organisation to fight a political fight, or that its members have the stomach for it, or that it should be diverted from its present aims or detract in any way to any degree from its valuable work helping the elderly needy. At the same time, there is an urgent need for an independent pressure group to represent, harness and direct the enormous political power of pensioners and their supporters at the ballot box, utilising the experience and diverse skills of its members.

Such an organisation would consist of thousands of small independent groups meeting regularly for the sole purpose of examining issues affecting pensioners and establishing policies and then assessing the records of local councillors and MPs in the light of those policies.

Each group would constantly review local policies and politicians' records so that at election time it could decide which candidate to support -- and then vote en masse for that candidate.

Harnessed fully, such an organisation could make or break a candidate -- and a party.

I estimate that as many as 50 per cent of the voters may support the pensioners' lobby.

What to call such an organisation? "The Fifty Fifty Club"? (Fifty percent of the votes for fifty per cent of the rights for fifty per cent of the voters!) "Age Alert"? Answers on a postcard to wherever you think it would do most good.

Bernard Fawl,

Address supplied.